If you are going to this show with an HT and gadgets focus, you may well enjoy it and it is worthwhile going. Don't bother reading further.
But if your interest is in high end hifi you could skip it and not miss much. I go every year and keep walking away disappointed. I keep going back as I have this ridiculous fear that the year I don't go will be the year I miss something worthwhile. It also gives me the opportunity of an annual catchup with a couple of manufacturers I don't otherwise get to see.
Worthwhile downstairs stops are the Rockian Trading CD store (all the audiophile labels, some at heavily discounted prices, and SACD) and Rab and the boys had some nice gear at the Carlton Audio Visual stand. You could skip the other 95% of downstairs stands and miss nothing.
Most of the upstairs sound lounges are Aussie speaker manufacturers (Osborne, Ambience, VASS, Whatmough etc) with ranges that generally vary little from year to year, so if you are a hifi enthusiast with no current interest in speakers, do not bother attending HES. Also upstairs is Audio Aero and Consonance gear (Osborne room), ME amps and RedGum. I guess the dearth of high end electronics is due to the fact that very little is made in Australia (and even fewer exhibit) and everyone wants HT.
The year before last, I asked the Sony exhibition attendant why they had no SACD players on display. He took on a glazed expression and asked me what SACD was!
